Carter's Blizzard Distraction
by Metoria
Summary: Carter tells another story to distract the men during a blizzard.


**Carter's Blizzard Distraction!**

**In honor of all the snow we've gotten on the east coast. I'm waiting for a blizzard but it isn't going to happen… The snow is all crusted over…**

…

Hogan looked outside his window. No missions today. He shivered. He walked out of his office and into the common room. The men were all still laying about shivering. Lebeau was trying to heat some water for some coffee. But because of the wind outside there was no way the fire would take. The air must have been to heavy. Every time he tried to get the fire fully stoked it just smoked a lot. The smoke wouldn't go up the pipe very well. He hated it when this happened.

Hogan walked over to Lebeau coughing a bit from the smoke. "How's the fire coming Lebeau?"

"It wont take… It just smokes a lot."

Hogan nodded. "Keep trying."

"Blimey, I dunno how much more of this smoke I can take, mate." Newkirk complained from atop his bunk

"Oh quite your whining! I'm doing the best I can!" Lebeau scowled.

"Now now!" Hogan had to get them to settle down. The cold was making them irritable, the smoke was making them irritable, and the fact that they hadn't been on a mission in a couple days, was getting them antsy. No one wanted to travel in this weather. "Why don't we all huddle together." Everyone kind of shuffled together.

Newkirk jumped down from his bunk and sat next to Carter who was sitting Indian style, his legs and feet under his blanket to keep them warm. Newkirk noticed this and followed suit. It worked… but he was still cold. "Colonel, I'm still cold."

"Alright... Think of something hot." Colonel said putting the extra blankets around the men. He sat down on the other side of Carter to keep warm.

"Like what?"

"Like hot deserts, or… I don't know…" Hogan couldn't think of anything.

"Volcanoes." Carter said simply.

"Yeah Volcanoes." Hogan said pointing to Carter who smiled next to him.

"I don't have any volcano experiences."

"Well neither do I but we can at least imagine how hot it would be right?" Hogan tried.

The men mumbled.

He didn't have trouble encouraging Carter. The kid always looked on the bright side of things. Everyone else could be pretty cynical. If he was to keep his men happy he'd need Carter's help. Hogan leaned in to Carter's ear. "Help me cheer them up somehow. You enjoy making people tell stories so you must have some of your own!"

Carter looked at his commanding officer and shook his head. "Not hot ones."

"Anything to keep their minds off the cold."

"Right now the only story I can think of is the time I was stuck in a blizzard and had to get home."

"That might at least keep their minds off THIS blizzard."

"Were you ever in a blizzard?"

Hogan shook his head and smiled. The kid was trying to set him up. "Sorry no I wasn't."

Carter nodded.

"I remember when I was last in a slow storm like this. I think it was a bit worse though. The wind was much harsher." Carter started.

Everyone looked at him.

…

[Story Time Begins]

…

I was at the drug store I run in Bullfrog. It was freezing. The radio was playing the usual station when it was abruptly interrupted. I moved closer to it to listen. No one was in the store.

"We interrupt this program to inform you that all citizens of Bullfrog are to remain indoors. Do not try to reach loved ones. A blizzard has hit the town and isn't letting up. Please stay inside where it is safe. Thank you."

I heard the command not to reach loved ones but I wasn't going to listen. My kid brother and baby sister were all alone at home. I had no intention of leaving them all alone. The phone rang.

"Hello?" The line was crackly.

"Andrew! -crackle- 's mom, your father -crackle- 'nd I are -crackle- -crackle- -crackle- can't get home. -crackle- You're closer would you -crackle- run home to your brother and sister?"

"I was going to." I said seriously. I hoped she could hear me over the line.

I could hear relief flood my mother as I spoke and she thanked me. "Dawson -crackle- 's there to look after them but -crackle- -crackle- can only do so much."

"Don't worry. I'll get home! I promise!" I hung up and began locking up the store. I looked out the doors as I put my coat on. It was a complete white out. Driving would be difficult. I turned off all the lights and opened the door. I was hit by a sudden gust of wind. It knocked me over. I hit the ground hard. I quickly got to my feet and braced myself against the wind. It was tough getting out the doors. The wind kept pushing me back. It was like I was walking in place. Finally I was outside and went to pull the doors closed. They were stuck. I tried to figure out what was wrong. I looked all around them. Then my eyes fell to the ground. The entrance between the doors was packed with snow that had blown in. I scuffed the snow aside as well as I could and pulled the doors closed. They were caught on more snow. I got down on my hands and knees to block the entrance with my body so no more snow could get in. Luckily that seemed to work. I brushed the snow out of the way and pulled the door further and further closed. I was on my hands and knees for a few minutes just clearing the snow. Finally I got the door closed. I held it and reached into my pocket for the key. I didn't feel it in my right pocket. I reached across to my left. There was a hole in my pocket. I looked down and saw the wind blow some snow over something shiny. I reached across my body and brushed the snow away. It was an awkward position but I was able to reach the key and pick it up. My hands were cold. I didn't have any gloves on; they were in the truck. I tried placing the key into the key lock with my shaky hands. I missed once, twice, and then finally I got it in. I turned it and heard it latch. I stood quickly and braced myself against the snow.

I made it to my truck. I tugged on the door but it wouldn't open. I tugged harder and harder until finally I flew open knocking me to the ground. I stood quickly and hopped inside. I slammed the door shut and put my key into the ignition. It started but when I went to drive off the wheels just spun in the snow. I tried backing up and all sorts of things but the wheels just spun and I didn't go anywhere. I turned the truck off and thought. I could always run, it was just a couple blocks and around the corner. I'd need better protection. I looked to my passenger seat and grabbed the extra protection. I put the gloves on my hands and tucked them into the cuffs on my coat. My coat was done up as far as it would go. I grabbed the scarf and wrapped it around my neck and mouth a couple times before stuffing into my coat. I grabbed my hat and pulled it tightly over my head. All that was exposed were my eyes and the bridge of my nose.

I went to open my door but it was stuck. I kicked it and pushed it. I tried the other door but it was hopeless. I sat there a moment then began rolling the window down. I climbed out expecting a drop, instead my knees met snow an inch below the window. I hopped off the snow bank and began running down the street. I thought I knew where I was going, but I couldn't see. I crossed the street and headed for the corner. The street signs were invisible because of the snow.

I kept running and running. I was sure I went the right way. But it was taking longer than it should have. Then I saw it. I was at the high school. I took a wrong turn. I'd have to run back. I turned around again. I couldn't run anymore after that though. My lungs burned and my hands and feet were numb. I was sure I'd have frost bite. I could barely keep my eyes open from the onslaught of snow and ice. The wind started gusting harder and harder. It was all I could do to just stay standing. I tried not to move during the heavy gusts. I braced myself, covering my face until the wind died down a bit then I moved on. My face felt cold. I felt my cheeks and realized my scarf was gone. I looked around but it was hopeless. I moved on.

It took me more than a half an hour before I reached a street I could recognize through the snow. It was one street away from my house. I tried to run but my legs could barely carry me anymore. I scuffled and dragged my feet through the large snow drifts that covered the streets. It was incredible how sudden the blizzard had arrived. It was eerie being out there all on my own. I felt like it was a ghost town and I was the only survivor. Of course I knew this wasn't so. As I came onto my street I saw lights in the houses and smoke rising from the chimneys. I was exhausted from walking and running and fighting against the blizzard. I saw the door and felt a surge of energy and relief. I ran to the door. It had been half buried in snow. I began digging the snow away and burst through the door. I collapsed on the floor and slammed the door shut with my feet.

I was panting heavily and mostly numb. I felt someone next to me. I opened my eyes to see my siblings had come to see who had arrived. I smiled lightly. I made it.

As it turns out, they didn't really need me to get home. They had everything under control. Ben had dinner cooking and Anya had been playing with her toys.

I sighed as I saw them.

"You okay?" Ben asked.

"I think so." I said in between breaths. I sat up and crawled my way into the kitchen next to the wood burning stove. I took my shoes and gloves off and looked at my hands and feet. They were white. Which meant there was still hope for them. Anya ran in with some wool socks and blankets and Ben brought some hot water to me to put my feet in. The next morning the wind had died down and the snow plows had broken free of their snow prisons and began cleaning up the mess that nature had made. I'll admit running around in the blizzard was probably the dumbest thing I've done but it was worth it to make sure my siblings were okay.

Mom and Dad got home that morning and saw me sleeping at the foot of the stove wrapped in blankets. Dad was glad I made it home alright and mom panicked that I was all wrapped up and sick, yeah I caught a cold from being in the wind but it was nothing serious. I was fine and so was everyone else.

[Story Time End]

"Blimey, so did you get frost bite?" Newkirk asked.

"Thankfully no."

"How cold was it?" Lebeau asked. He had gotten the fire to take.

"I'm not sure I think it may have gotten near zero or even into the negatives."

"Wow."

"Yeah. It was quite an adventure but not something I'd want to do again."

"I bet."

"Funny after listening to how cold you were, I don't feel as cold as I did." Newkirk commented.

"I think it's the fire, Peter." Carter said with a smile. At least things were going to get warmer after that day. The worst was over.

…

**This is in honor of all the snow we on the East coast have been getting… our phone lines are all crackly too on my street. It's times like this you wish you had a cell phone. I gotta get in touch with my cousin! Curse having phone lines underground! Oh well. Hopefully the lines will dry out by this weekend…but considering there's about foot and a half of snow… or more, it's not likely. Hope you guys liked!**


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